This technology is simple, inexpensive, and capable of surviving high waves. The water portion is as survivable as thousands of buoys already deployed worldwide, whereas the generation of electricity can be done onshore, safe from waves and using conventional methods.
Using an underwater teeter-totter, a barrel and a 1/8 steel cable, I caused a 170 pound weight to bob up and down on shore with each wave. This could easily pump water, pressurize an hydraulic tank, turn a flywheel or even pound cornmeal into flour. The concept is simple, cheap and effective.
The inventor and owner, Clifford H. Brown, has two U.S. patents and one in the U.K: The first U.S. patent was issued in 1998, No. 5,808,368. The second was issued April 26, 2011 — No. 7,930,885. A U.K. patent, No. GB2467663, was issued on May 16, 2012 and encompasses several improvements. The device shown here was deployed in Guinea, where the inventor served as the Mission Director for the U.S. Agency for International Development. He is a retired U.S. Senior Foreign Service Officer and is interested not so much in licensing any intellectual property (the first patent expired) as in spreading the word about this design. Tell others!